Drugs

Home Affairs Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 10 Feb 2022 Closed: 1 Feb 2024 Parliament page
The focus of the inquiry is on illegal drug use and its effects on society and the economy. The inquiry considers the UK’s legislative framework on drugs and UK drug policy. The framework refers to, for example: the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971; the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016; and, where … Read more
38 Recommendations
33 Conclusions
1 Report
6 Oral sessions
4 Letters
6 Events
Activity timeline 18 events
14 Nov
2023
Report published
31 Aug
2023
Report published
22 Feb
2023
Oral evidence
22 Feb
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
23 Nov
2022
Correspondence
2 Nov
2022
Correspondence
27 Oct
2022
Correspondence
27 Oct
2022
Correspondence
29 Jun
2022
Oral evidence
29 Jun
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 16, Palace of Westminster
15 Jun
2022
Oral evidence
15 Jun
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
Oral evidence sessions 6 sessions
22 Feb 2023
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Angela Constance · Scottish Government Caroline Hart · Home Office Marcus Starling · Home Office Rt Hon Chris Philp MP · Home Office
29 Jun 2022
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Charlie Doyle · British Transport Police Dr Jack Spicer · University of the West of England Dr Richard Lewis · National Police Chiefs’ Council and Chief Constable of Dyfed-Powys Police Junior Smart OBE · St Giles Trust Nicky Hill · Abianda Steve Rodhouse · National Crime Agency
15 Jun 2022
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Andy Dunbobbin · Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales David Sidwick David Thorne · South Wales Police John Campbell QPM · Thames Valley Police Serena Kennedy · Merseyside Police Zoe Metcalfe
25 May 2022
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Councillor Joanne Harding · Local Government Association Maggie Boreham · Hackney Council Professor Dame Carol Black · Combating Drugs Professor Jim McManus · Hertfordshire County Council
18 May 2022
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Dr Emily Finch · Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs Dr Owen Bowden-Jones · Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs Professor David Nutt · Imperial College, London Professor Jo Neill · Manchester University Professor Ornella Corazza · Hertfordshire University Professor Roger Knaggs · Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs Professor Stuart Reece · University of Western Australia
27 Apr 2022
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Chloe Hartnell · Hodge Jones and Allen LLP Dr Karenza Moore · Newcastle University Dr Kojo Koram · Birkbeck College, University of London Martin Powell · Transform Drug Policy Foundation Niamh Eastwood · Release Rudi Fortson QC · 25 Bedford Row Chambers
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Third Report - Drugs HC 198 31 Aug 2023 71 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
14 results
Clear
20 Conclusion Accepted in Part
Third Report - Drugs
10-Year Drugs Strategy needs to expand its range of harm reduction approaches.
The 10-Year Drugs Strategy recognises some harm reduction approaches but could go further. Abstinence-based recovery may not be an effective form of treatment for everyone. A broader range of harm reduction treatments are therefore required to help as many people … Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepted the conclusion, stating it already provides a broad range of harm reduction interventions, including increasing naloxone availability and supporting local provision of other medicines. It committed to continuing to update guidance on evidence-based harm reduction interventions.
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21 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Third Report - Drugs
Update the 10-Year Drugs Strategy to increase available harm reduction approaches for treatment.
We recommend that the Government update the strategy to increase the range of harm reduction approaches available to support a person’s treatment and recovery from drugs in line with the approaches outlined in this report.
Government Response
The government partially accepted the recommendation, stating it already provides a broad range of harm reduction interventions, including increasing naloxone availability and supporting local provision of other medicines. It committed to continuing to update guidance on evidence-based harm reduction interventions.
Home Office
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23 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Third Report - Drugs
Devise and publish a cross-departmental action plan and UK-wide campaign to tackle drug stigma.
We recommend that the Combating Drugs Minister leads on devising a cross- departmental action plan to tackle stigma. In devising the action plan, the Government must engage with people with lived experience of drugs and stakeholders in the drug treatment … Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepts, agreeing on the importance of reducing stigma and committing to cross-government work and collaboration with devolved administrations. However, they reject the specific request for a published cross-departmental action plan, instead tasking OHID to lead a workstream and publish a report on stigma's impact.
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37 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Third Report - Drugs
Pilot inclusion of Prevention Officers within County Lines Taskforces to share good practice.
We welcome the British Transport Police’s efforts to improve responses to child exploitation through the secondment of two Prevention Officers from the Children’s Society. We recommend that the Government work with other police forces with a dedicated County Lines Taskforce … Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepts, highlighting existing funding for the National County Lines Co-ordination Centre and specialist posts, but states it will "further consider" the specific recommendation to pilot Prevention Officers within County Lines Taskforces.
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40 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Third Report - Drugs
Extend Project ADDER nationally or preserve progress in pilot locations post-2025 conclusion.
We recommend that Project ADDER be extended across all of England and Wales if the assessments indicate that the Project is effect in achieving all of its aims: reducing drug-related deaths, drug-related offending, drug use, and disrupting the supply and … Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepts the recommendation, deferring a decision on extending Project ADDER until after the 2025 evaluation, but commits to being clear on how progress will be preserved in existing pilot locations beyond 2025, through mechanisms like Combating Drugs Partnerships.
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49 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Third Report - Drugs
Replicate Scotland’s medication-assisted treatment standards in England to ensure consistent minimum care.
We recommend that the Government replicate Scotland’s medication-assisted treatment standards in England to ensure that a consistent, minimum standard of care is available to people accessing opioid substitution treatment. In doing so, the 78 Drugs Government must first consult stakeholders … Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepted the recommendation, stating it will review Scottish medication-assisted treatment standards to incorporate them into English guidance where appropriate, noting that England already uses a similar opioid substitution treatment self-assessment tool developed with stakeholder input.
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54 Conclusion Accepted in Part
Third Report - Drugs
Ensure needle and syringe programmes reach wider populations to prevent blood-borne virus transmission.
We are concerned by the effect the Covid-19 pandemic has had on the provision of needle and syringe programmes. The UK must continue its efforts in preventing the spread of blood-borne viruses by ensuring needle and syringe programmes reach as … Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepted, stating that existing programs already support blood-borne virus prevention and mentioning new funding via the SSMTR Grant (£1.3m) and a UKHSA pilot for data collection.
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55 Conclusion Accepted in Part
Third Report - Drugs
Increase provision of essential equipment and additional services for needle and syringe programmes.
The Combating Drugs Minister must work with the Department of Health and Social Care, the devolved administrations, and health partners to ensure that the provision of equipment—particularly low dead space syringes and safe water—is increased to reduce the transmission of … Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepted, highlighting existing services and new investments through the SSMTR Grant (£1.3m for 2023/24), which specifies spending on low dead space syringes and supporting additional services. UKHSA is also planning a pilot for data collection.
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56 Conclusion Accepted in Part
Third Report - Drugs
National naloxone programme absent in England despite clear evidence of lifesaving effects.
The evidence on the lifesaving effects of naloxone in counteracting opioid- related overdose is clear. We welcome the national naloxone programmes in the devolved nations but are concerned that no such programme exists in England. We also welcome the joint … Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepted, citing existing naloxone provision via local public health grants, £1.6 million from the SSMTR Grant for expansion, ongoing legislative changes by OHID to broaden supply, and efforts to implement availability in HMPPS community contact centres.
Home Office
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57 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Third Report - Drugs
Establish a national naloxone programme in England and rapidly expand provision to at-risk groups.
We recommend that the Government establish a national naloxone programme in England to bring it in line with the devolved nations. We also recommend that the Government speed up its work on expanding the provision of naloxone following the UK-wide … Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepted, explaining that naloxone provision is already supported by local public health grants and £1.6 million from the SSMTR Grant. OHID is developing legislative changes to broaden supply, and work is underway with HMPPS to increase availability, including for prison leavers.
Home Office
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58 Conclusion Accepted in Part
Third Report - Drugs
Non-universal naloxone provision by English police forces creates a dangerous postcode lottery.
The efforts of UK police forces to roll out this life saving treatment is welcome. However, provision of naloxone across English forces is not universal, which risks creating a postcode lottery on the availability of this potentially life-saving treatment in … Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepted, affirming support for naloxone availability but stating that carrying it is an operational decision for Chief Constables. The NPCC, with Home Office and OHID support, is working to address barriers and develop national guidance for police forces.
Home Office
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59 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Third Report - Drugs
Mandate all police forces to roll out voluntary naloxone provision, including funding and training.
We recommend that the Home Office requires all 43 police forces in England and Wales to roll out the voluntary provision of naloxone by operational officers. Volunteer officers must be provided with adequate training in the carrying and administration of … Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepted, rejecting the requirement for mandatory rollout by all police forces, stating it's an operational decision for Chief Constables. However, the Home Office is supporting the NPCC in addressing barriers and developing national guidance for police officers carrying naloxone.
Home Office
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62 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Third Report - Drugs
Mandate police forces to record diversion scheme use for national overview and best practice.
We recommend that police forces record the use of diversion schemes in their force areas to develop a national picture and an understanding of best practice. The Home Office must regularly update the guidance to incorporate this evidence base.
Government Response
The government aims to establish a more detailed national picture of Out of Court Disposals by examining their provision in all 43 police forces as part of an expansion pilot for drug possession offences. This work will provide an evidence base for future policy approaches regarding diversion schemes.
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68 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Third Report - Drugs
Support randomised control trials into effectiveness of CBPMs for chronic pain treatment.
We recommend that the Government supports researchers to conduct randomised control trials into the effectiveness of CBPMs to treat chronic pain. If the evidence base supports this, and it is deemed to be cost-effective, we recommend that the Government enables … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation to support research into CBPMs for chronic pain, clarifying that researchers can seek scientific advice and apply for funding through the NIHR. They note that funding is competitive and emphasize the current lack of evidence, with NICE recommending further research.
Home Office
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Government Response AI assessment · 71 of 38 classified
Accepted 22
Accepted in Part 14
Acknowledged 8
Deferred 7
Not Addressed 3
Rejected 17
Total 38 recs + 33 conclusions
Correspondence 4 letters
23 Nov 2022 To committee Letter from Minister for Crime, Policing and Fire on the Middlesbrough DAT programme, dated 11 November 2022
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2 Nov 2022 To committee Letter from Public Health, Middlesbrough Council on closure of the Middlesbrough Diamorphine-Assisted Treatment programme, dated 31 October 2022
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27 Oct 2022 From committee Letter to the Minister for Policing and Crime on closure of Middlesbrough Diamorphine-Assisted Treatment programme, dated 27 October 2022
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27 Oct 2022 From committee Letter to Project ADDER on closure of Middlesbrough diamorphine assisted treatment programme, dated 27 October 2022
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